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During their six-match limited-overs series this month in Mirpur, Bangladesh women have won as many matches against India (2) as in their previous cricketing history. On Saturday, they narrowly came close as Fargana Hoque’s historic ton and spirited bowling effort allowed them to tie the final ODI, and finish the series 50-over level at 1-1.
Late drama ensued as a seemingly relaxed India finally collapsed, losing six wickets for just 34 runs in the last eight.
Varghana – the only Bangladeshi cricketer to score 1,000 runs in ODIs – became the first woman from her country to reach a century in the fifty-fifty format, after her 160-ball total of 107 led Bangladesh to a total of 225 runs in an innings dry.
Fargana’s roles were going at a great pace. She was happy to play second fiddle as opening partner Shamima Sultana looked more devastating at first – taking just 31 from 80 in a partnership of 93 – and later accelerated as she stayed on to the finish. There were only seven fours in her innings, showing how she needed to toil for runs by turning singles into doubles and finding gaps rather than relying on lead making and strength.
India faltered at the start of the run chase as Shafali Verma and Yastika Bhatia fell early, but a strong 107 third-wicket stand between Smriti Mandhana – who recovered after being dropped in the second – and Harleen Deol set up what should have been a routine chase.
Mandana fell after an 85-ball 59 showing effortless fielding and fielding, one of the only innings this month where she felt comfortable in Mirpur conditions, but Deol was determined, hooking up short partnerships from there that seemed to be enough to get India over the line.
The high drama came after India’s best bat this month, Harmanpreet Kaur, missed a sweep attempt and was called out before Nahida Akter (eventually excused as she was caught in slips) jumped and smashed the stumps with her bat and got into a tirade with the umpire, protesting a glove on the ball before pad. And the drama did not end there.
Deol left after 108 in the 77-ball when India were in a strong position of 191-5 in the over 42 overs. After that, the side’s tendency towards a late collapse again manifested itself. With Jemimah Rodrigues down the other end looking to finish the chase firmly, a stream of wickets would fall.
India would go from 191-5 to 217-9 between the overs of 42 and 48, the latter being the most dramatic of all, with Nahida getting Sneh Rana and Devika Vaidya caught and daring in three balls even as India needed just nine runs to win. Meghna Singh’s four from the last ball in the 48th over promised to turn the tide, but with the results level, Bangladesh managed to look for a weapon that India was sorely lacking in all series – a fast bowler to count on.
Marufa Akter slid in a fast slinger the length of the backstretch as the Indian tail-spinner bunted the ball with little control and was caught. The results were tied but Bangladesh celebrated as if they had won the match and the series, which they did well to deserve given the huge gap in talent and resources.
For India, meanwhile, many concerns need to be addressed after this round. The confusing selection, the inconsistency in the top order, their struggles against spin, the lack of an end bowler in either edition, the injury-induced absence of Renuka Singh and the complete lack of threatening fast bowling options.
With expected rotation conditions at the Asian Games in September, in the domestic series with South Africa, New Zealand, England and Australia over the next six to eight months, and at the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh next year, India leaves the tour with more questions than answers.
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